Psychology of Masters Swimming - Your Input Please
Former Member
I trained and worked as a sport psychologist before I took up masters swimming (and about the same time stopped private practice due to my boring corporate job), and for the first time really I'm looking to put both together with some articles for the web.
There's no lack of material on swimming performance but there's not much out there, for physical or mental aspects of swimming, that really acknowledges the specific challenges that masters swimmers face.
I'd really like to hear your own views on what you have to manage as a masters swimmer. This doesn't have to relate to racing specifically.
For example, I have to plan around my family, never manage to do as much training as I'd like, so I have to manage my own expectations, yet bring what I have in my locker on race day and make the most of it. I also have my 'former' life as a swimmer and the negative experiences that led to me quitting at 18 that shape my motivations now.
Thanks,
Rob
P.S. I've yet to start my own site, but I do have a swimming psychology page on facebook and I'm on twitter. I'd really appreciate a boost with likes/shares as I build a readership.
Hi - this is a big one for a lot of masters swimmers. One of my team mates was the British record holder at 100 ***, and joined masters 7 years later. She just couldn't reset her expectations, and hasn't been back - hopefully she will try again.
If the appetite is there I will start a Q&A type thread for psychology. It will also help me to generate ideas for articles.
I absolutely understand her. For 25 years break I had no desire to come to the pool. If not doc's prescription to swim I would never return. That actually helped a lot because my mind set was: I need it for my health. So I didn't worry much about results. If I worried about the result 1st day I returned to the pool I would give up swimming again - that's for sure. Only after 1 year swimming for health I felt that I became stronger and understood that I miss competitions again.
Hi - this is a big one for a lot of masters swimmers. One of my team mates was the British record holder at 100 ***, and joined masters 7 years later. She just couldn't reset her expectations, and hasn't been back - hopefully she will try again.
If the appetite is there I will start a Q&A type thread for psychology. It will also help me to generate ideas for articles.
I absolutely understand her. For 25 years break I had no desire to come to the pool. If not doc's prescription to swim I would never return. That actually helped a lot because my mind set was: I need it for my health. So I didn't worry much about results. If I worried about the result 1st day I returned to the pool I would give up swimming again - that's for sure. Only after 1 year swimming for health I felt that I became stronger and understood that I miss competitions again.
